PROGRAMME
Access to Comprehensive Care & Essential Support Services (ACCESS)
PROGRAMME OWNER
Government of Nigeria — FMoHSW / NPHCDA / SWAp Office, with ESMoH & ESPHCDA
IMPLEMENTATION PARTNER
WCAHealth and State partner
FOCUS STATES
Enugu – Igbo Eze North LGA and Isu Uzo LGA
BACKGROUND
The ACCESS Programme is a Government of Nigeria-led initiative aimed at improving access to quality, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescents and young people. It is delivered through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office, in collaboration with West and Central Africa Health Options and state health systems.
In many communities, adolescents face significant barriers to accessing accurate SRH information and services due to cultural, social, and geographic constraints. Health facilities alone cannot fully address these gaps. ACCESS responds to this challenge through a coordinated, community-based approach that strengthens demand for services, improves referral pathways, and supports adolescent-friendly care.
As part of programme implementation in Enugu State, a Stakeholder Co-Creation Meeting was convened to align partners, harmonise strategies, and ensure that interventions are responsive to the state context and priorities.
ABOUT THE CO-CREATION MEETING
The Stakeholder Co-Creation Meeting brought together key government actors, implementing partners, and development organisations to jointly design and strengthen the implementation approach for adolescent SRH interventions in Enugu State.
Participants included representatives from the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, SWAp focal persons, and other relevant government stakeholders. Development partners present included SFH, MSI Nigeria, LSDF, Solina, Media and other organisations working within the SRH ecosystem.
The meeting provided a platform to:
- Align implementation strategies across partners
- Strengthening coordination between the government and implementing organisations
- Ensure programme delivery reflects local realities and community needs
- Reinforce accountability within the SWAp framework
The engagement reflects a deliberate shift from isolated interventions to joint planning and coordinated implementation, in line with national health sector priorities.
It works in two tiers:
Big Sisters
Community women trained as peer mentors, equipped with SRHR knowledge, facilitation skills, and referral pathways to adolescent-friendly PHC facilities.
Little Sisters
Adolescent girls are organised into cohorts who receive guidance, participate in structured discussions, and are supported to access appropriate health services.
Through this model, Big Sisters act as trusted community voices, supporting adolescents with accurate information, facilitating referrals, and reducing stigma associated with accessing SRH services.
The model strengthens the link between households and Primary Health Care facilities, ensuring that adolescents are not only informed but are also able to access services when needed.
ACTIVITY IN BRIEF: MARCH 2026 CO-CREATION
This week, the ACCESS Programme convened a high-level Stakeholder Co-Creation Meeting in Enugu State, bringing together government actors, implementing partners, and development organisations to jointly shape the delivery of adolescent sexual and reproductive health interventions.
The engagement provided a platform for open dialogue, shared learning, and alignment, ensuring that programme strategies reflect the realities of communities and are owned by the systems responsible for delivering them.
By bringing all key actors to the same table, the co-creation process strengthens coordination, reduces fragmentation, and reinforces a unified approach to improving adolescent health outcomes in the state.
KEY MESSAGES FOR MEDIA
- Government-led: ACCESS is a Federal Government of Nigeria initiative delivered through FMoHSW, NPHCDA, SWAp, and State health authorities, with support from implementing partners.
- Coordinated implementation: The co-creation meeting reflects a unified, multi-partner approach to delivering adolescent SRH interventions in Enugu State.
- Community-centred: The Big Sister model places trusted community women at the centre of adolescent health engagement, extending services beyond health facilities.
- Adolescent health is a priority: The programme directly addresses gaps in adolescent SRH knowledge, access, and health-seeking behaviour.
- System strengthening: ACCESS contributes to improved referral pathways, increased utilisation of youth-friendly services, and broader efforts to reduce maternal and adolescent health challenges.
GUIDANCE FOR MEDIA REPORTING
For accurate and consistent media coverage, please use the following attribution:
“The ACCESS Programme, implemented by WCAHealth in collaboration with partners including Solina and LSDF, with support from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) under the SWAp initiative.”
Media partners are encouraged to:
- Highlight the collaborative nature of the programme, including government and partner roles
- Capture human impact stories from community-level interventions
- Ensure reporting is respectful, accurate, and free from stigma
- Focus on stakeholder engagement, planning processes, and community-based approaches.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Role Name Scope Contact Prog. Communications Lead David Agunlofi All States / National +2348134601626, d.agunlofi@wcafrica.org State Programme Manager Victor Adibe Enugu State +2349062205582, v.adibe@wcafrica.org Note: All state-level media activity, including photos, quotes, and social media posts, should be coordinated with and cleared by David Agunlofi before publication. State Programme Managers should route all media enquiries through the Programme Communication lead.
